Growers – Troubleshooting Your Houseplant for Pests, Diseases and Environmental Issues

Growers will rarely spend a lot of time explaining the dos and don’ts of the houseplant you want to buy. Most of them assume that you have done your due diligence and know what your target plant will need. If you are new to houseplants, it is good to spend some time understanding the indoor issues that will affect your houseplant. The purpose of this post is to take a look at the main issues you should keep an eye on when troubleshooting your plant.

Environmental issues
The main issues that affect plants like dracaena are the environmental problems. If your houseplant has some unexplainable problems, you should start by checking the following.

  • Sunlight

Light problems are the main causes of plant problems. When the room doesn’t get sufficient sunlight, the plant will tend to appear long and spindly. A flowering plant may also fail to bloom due to the lack of sunlight. The solution here is to move the plant to an area that receives more sunlight. You may also notice the leaves turning brownish with scorched tips. This happens when the light is too much. You should move the plant to a less intensely lit area.

  • Temperature

Most of the indoor plants you purchase from wholesale nurseries are tropical plants. Temperatures that are too low or too high may affect the plants. The plants will also need higher humidity levels in the house.

  • Water

How much water you give your plant and how often you water the plant will affect it. Overwatering will cause the plant to fail because the roots will drown. Under-watering will cause the plant to wither and subsequently dry up. You should consult the interiorscaper suppliers to understand the watering needs of your plant.

Houseplant disease
In addition to the three environmental problems, your houseplant may be failing because of diseases. When you don’t take good care of your plant, its health will decline and it will be more prone to diseases. There are three main diseases you should keep a keen eye on:

  • Anthracnose. This is a fungal disease that makes the tips of the leaves to turn yellow and brown.
  • Various bacterial and fungal diseases. These are mostly indicated by black dots o water-soaked areas.
  • Moisture-related diseases. These include powdery mildew. These indicate poor air circulation around the houseplant.

Pests
When picking out potted plants from plantscaper suppliers, you must be prepared to deal with pests. There are so many pests that affect houseplants but the pest you end up dealing with will depend on where you live and the care you give to your plant. The main pests you should expect are the spider mites, mealy-bugs, scale, aphids, whiteflies and fungus gnats.

The three are the main methods you should use when troubleshooting your houseplant. To avoid most of these problems, you need to order a plant that you can easily care for and one that fits in your home or office. You should also stick with growers that are known for supplying healthy plants.

Growers

Plantscaper Suppliers – How Houseplants Purify the Air

Plantscaper suppliers are familiar with the many benefits that houseplants offer. Although most people consider the potted plants for beautification alone, this is not the only thing these plants give. The rights plants will make you feel good and gradually improve your health and increase performance. The purpose of this post is to look at the different ways in which houseplants help purify the air.

Reduce levels of carbon dioxide
The first thing you need to understand about all plants, draceana included, is that they take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen. This means that the number one role of houseplants is to regulate the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the air. The more potted plants you have in a room the better.

One thing you will notice about high levels of humidity is that they boost productivity and health. High levels of carbon dioxide will cause drowsiness and will definitely reduce productivity. Have a few houseplants in your home or office will do you good. However, you should note that at night, most plants take in oxygen and give out carbon dioxide. This can be risky if you place the plants in the bedroom. Consult with the interiorscaper suppliers to find a plant that takes in carbon dioxide and gives off oxygen at all times if you need a plant for your bedside table.

Eliminate toxins
The second way in which plants purify the air is through the elimination of toxins from the air. Dracaena is the most sought after plant when it comes to this. In the elimination of toxins, potted plants take in toxins from the air and break them down through their roots. Again, the more houseplants you have the better.

Even so, it is good to note that all houseplants will not survive in all environments. You need to make sure that you pick a plant that will thrive in your office or home conditions. If the room receives minimal sunlight, you want a plant that thrives in low light. Remember that how healthy your plant is will determine how effective it is in air purification.

Regulate humidity
Potted plants will help with humidity control. For this purpose, you need to pick plants with more and larger foliage in the wholesale nurseries. Plants release more than 90% of the water they take in through their roots. The air that is released is what helps with humidity control. To improve efficiency, you should water your plants regularly and group several potted plants together.

The above are just some of the main ways through which houseplants help with air purification. Studies show that people working in rooms that have houseplants are more productive and suffer from fewer respiratory problems. The rule of thumb, however, that you need to remember is that how healthy your plants are will determine how effective they are in air purification.

Plantscaper suppliers

Interiorscaper Suppliers – Why Do Rodents Dig up Houseplants?

Interiorscaper suppliers make it their duty to supply you with the most attractive and healthy houseplant you can get. However, once you bring this plant home, you may start noticing some problems days or weeks after the purchase. More often than not, the problem is not because your supplier sold you an unhealthy plant but because of the conditions in your home. A problem some homeowners notice is holes in the potted plant.

Finding holes dug into the houseplant is frustrating but is also a common problem mostly in the fall and winter. This is because as the air gets cooler outside, rodents and other pests tend to seek shelter indoors. Although these creatures do not eat houseplants, rodents will consider the loose potting soil as a great hiding place. Rodents burrow in an effort to store food. This causes damages to the houseplant. If you spot this problem on your dracaena, all is not lost.

Eliminate the mice problem
When you spot holes in the potting soil, the first thing you need to do is to get rid of the rodent problem. One option you can consider is that of allowing a housecat to roam around the house. This will help repel and even kill the rodents. The second option is that of setting up traps around the house. You should also consider the use of poison but only if you don’t have pets in the house.

Still in the elimination of mice, you need to seal the entryways. Rodents get into your house from outside through cracks and holes. Sealing these spaces will help keep the rodents out. Installing door and window screens will also help keep these creatures out. The control of rodents is the key to preventing damage to the healthy plants you buy from wholesale nurseries.

Replace the potting soil
At times, when burrowing, rodents will remove growing soil from the pot. This means a reduction in the amount of nutrients the plant gets as well as a reduction in the support that your houseplant gets. You can contact plantscaper suppliers for the best growing medium.

Rodents can cause a nuisance both to you and your houseplants. Make sure that you always take the time to get rid of them as soon as possible. The longer you allow them to run free the more problems they will cause.

As the fall and winter approaches, you should get ready for all manner of pests. If you have a draceana, you have to protect it from the nuisance of these pests. Do not wait too long to control these pests. The sooner you act the better.

Interiorscaper suppliers

Growers – Which Potted Plants Make Great Gifts

Growers make an effort of supplying plants that meet the needs of individual shopper. You are the person who needs to match the ideal plant to your own needs. However, when you are buying a plant to give as a gift, you have to keep your recipient in mind. You don’t want to give him a gift he will not appreciate. So, which are some of the best potted plants you can give as gifts.

Whether you are searching for the perfect Christmas gift or a housewarming present, you will find the perfect plant from plantscaper suppliers. However, when it comes to gifting, not all plants make the perfect choice. This is unless you are buying for someone who loves collecting potted plants. Before you start shopping, below are the three main points you have to consider about your target plant.

Easy to care for
A gift is supposed to make the recipient feel good. This will only happen if it is easy to care for. Draceana, for example is one of the most sought after potted plant when it comes to gifting. There are other great plants you can buy too. The rule of thumb is to ensure that they are easy to care for. Avoid plants that need more watering, ones that are prone to pest and diseases and those that need to be repotted every few months. Keep the lifestyle of your recipient in mind.

Visually attractive
Another very important thing you have to consider is how the houseplant looks. Dracaena is an attractive plant. It fits in virtually any setting. However, before you make the decision of buying the most attractive plant, you have to keep the care needs in mind. You don’t want to give your loved one a flowering houseplant that will lure pests in, do you? A plant does not necessarily have to bloom to look good.

Fit the home of the recipient
The third consideration you have to look at is the home of the recipient. This is in relation to the amount of light the room gets and the humidity levels. Plants need sunlight. However, some need more light than others. When shopping around, always keep the home needs of the recipient in mind. Do not force them to spend more money in growing lights.

These are the three main points you have to look at when shopping for houseplants from interiorscaper suppliers. The good thing is that the salespersons in the wholesale nurseries will be willing to advise you on the best plants to bring home. Don’t make your decisions alone. Involve the experts. Make sure you understand what is needed for a plant to be great.

Growers

Dracaena – How to Pick a Potted Plant to Give as a Gift

Dracaena is one of the best species of plants you can give as gift. The best thing about gifting with houseplants is that this is a gift that will cause the recipient to remember you for years. This is unlike the cut flowers which tend to die within a few days and the synthetic plants which don’t offer any real benefits to the recipient. Even so, this does not mean that you should gift anybody with just any plant that you buy from plantscaper suppliers. There are several things you have to consider before gifting with houseplants.

Whether you are looking for a housewarming present or a Christmas gift, potted plants will make a good choice. They are both simple and unique. However, it is important to note that all potted plant gifts are not the same. It all depends on who is receiving the gift. All in all, when shopping for the right plants from growers, it is a good idea to keep things simple. Don’t just focus on the aesthetic appeal of the plants. Below are some of the things you need to look at when picking out a potted plant to give as a gift.

Likes and dislikes of the recipient
The first thing you need to pay attention to is the likes and dislikes of the recipient. What do they really want? More often than not, people end up buying their friends potted plants that end up being a burden. You will be hurt if you find out that your friend discarded your gift, wouldn’t you? The solution here is to only focus on the simple plants that your friend will not only appreciate but ones that will suit his lifestyle. Does your friend love flowers? If he does, you should go with a plant that blooms. If he is into tropical themes, the draceana will make a good choice. Simply put, knowing what your friend likes and dislikes is the key to picking out the perfect houseplant for them.

Maintenance needs
Another thing you have to consider is the care needs of the plant. Potted plants are not all the same. There are plants that will need more watering and others that will need to be moved to larger pot every now and then. Such plants will be a burden to people with a tight schedule. This is why one of the things you need to ask in the wholesale nurseries is for a list of houseplants with the lowest maintenance needs.

Conditions of the recipient’s home or office
You also have to take a look at the home or office conditions of your recipient. This is important when considering such things as humidity levels and the amount of sunlight their living or working spaces receive. The last thing you want is to cost your friend more when he has to spend money on growing lights. Once you understand the room conditions, talk to interiorscaper suppliers to help find the ideal plant for that.

These points will help you get off on the right foot when planning on gifting with houseplants. Dracaena is a great plant but it will not be ideal for everyone.

Dracaena

Wholesale Nurseries – How to Keep Ants Away from Your Houseplants

Wholesale nurseries offer many species of plants that you can use as houseplants. These plants are in good condition. However, after getting them home, you may start to notice some problems. One problem that most people don’t talk about is that of ants. There are times when you may start noticing ants in your houseplant. What causes this problem? If you are dealing with ants on your potted plant, this post is for you.

Needless to say, finding ants on your houseplants is never a welcome sight. This is because the ants will not only cause other problems in the house but also damage your lovely dracaena. Removing the ants from your plant can prove to be even more challenging. This is more so if they keep coming back. The good news is that there are a couple of things that you can do to get rid of the ants’ problem once and for all. Keep reading to learn more.

One thing you should understand about ants is that they don’t attack potted plants directly. These insects are not after your plant but rather the scales, aphids or mealy-bugs that may be harming your plant. Ants will start getting on your plant when the aforementioned tiny insects start producing honeydew. Honeydew is the sweet and nutritious excrement that lures ants to your houseplant. This means that the ants will actually work to protect your draceana. Even so, you should note that the sight of ants on your plants is a sign of other problems. Failing to address the underlying problems may cause serious problems afterwards.

How to get rid of the ants
The best strategy you can use when dealing with ants on potted plants is to combine baiting and using insecticidal soap. The plantscaper suppliers will be willing to give you advice on the best products you can use. The baits should be placed on the ant trail leading to the potted plant. By doing this, the ants will carry the bait back to their nest which is mostly located outside your building. With time, you will be able to destroy the entire nest.

Once you have done that, you should then submerge the plant’s soil in a solution of 1 to 2 tablespoons of insecticidal soap to 1 quarter water. Leave the plant submerged for at least 20 minutes. This will kill ants that may be living inside the soil. Allow the soil to drain thoroughly after that.

Natural solutions
You don’t have to use chemicals on your lovely houseplant. There are other solutions you will get from the experts in wholesale nurseries. One of the methods is that of squeezing citrus rind in the direction of the plant. This will help repel ants. You can also make your own soap solution using 1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap and a pint of warm water. Spray this around the plant. Peppermint oil that is contained in soaps will repel the ants. You can also use cinnamon, chili powder, cloves, coffee grounds or dried mint tead leaves to repel ants.

The best solution, however, is to control the pest problems that lure ants in. You should seek advice from interiorscaper suppliers to learn how to keep common pests away.

Wholesale nurseries

Dracaena – How Plants like Dracaena Can Affect Your Feelings

Dracaena is a common houseplant in both homes and offices. This is because of its power to eliminate toxins from the air and its ability to regulate carbon dioxide levels and control humidity. These are the main reasons why most people consider investing in houseplants. One point you may not already know is that houseplants can actually improve your mood.

Have you notice you often feel more at ease when walking through a forest or during a picnic in the park? Why is that so? The scientific name for this feeling is known as biophilia.

Biophilia is a term that was coined back in 1984 by Edward Wilson – a naturalist. The term translates to ‘love of life’. It refers to the way humans are naturally drawn to living things such as pets and plants. It is possible to reap the natural benefits of biophilia right at home by purchasing the right houseplants from plantscaper suppliers.

Effect of plants
Humans benefit from biophilia and plants offer the low maintenance sources of that. Studies have shown that the presence of plants can actually lower blood pressure; anxiety as well as decrease stress and boost concentration. In most of these studies, persons working in rooms that had houseplants experienced less stress and were found to need less painkillers. What is more is that having the best houseplants from interiorscaper suppliers will enable you to purify the air around you and boost the levels of oxygen.

How else to plants help?
In addition to biophilia, having plants in your home will reduce health problems. The main reason for this is because plants like draceana will eliminate toxic elements from the air. The plants will also regulate the humidity levels in the air as well as boost the energy levels. All this leads to a reduction in air particles that can cause respiratory problems.

How to use houseplants
Having a single houseplant on your table will work wonders. However, it is recommended to get more than one plant from the growers. This is because when grouped together, plants will regulate the humidity better and will also be more effective in the elimination of toxins from the air. You also need to consider plants that complement the ambience and ones that you can comfortably care for.

There are so many houseplants you can choose from. The important things to consider are the maintenance needs of the plant, what it is prone to and its overall look. Wholesale nurseries will have a wide selection of houseplants for you to choose from. Make sure you pick one with care. Not all houseplants out there will be perfect for you.

Dracaena

Dracaena – Do You Rotate Your Houseplants?

Plantscaper suppliers can only spend so much time educating you on how to take good care of your houseplants. It is up to you to learn of other things like leaching the soil, trimming the plant and keeping it safe from pests. One point most interiorscaper suppliers will often not touch on is that on rotating your plant. How often should you turn a houseplant?

If you have been focusing on the progress of your draceana, you may have noticed that it has been leaning somewhat towards the light. This is common with all plants. Whenever a plant is indoors, it will tend to crane itself towards the best source of light. This is a natural growing process which enables the plant to wildly search for sunlight. The problem here is that in its struggle for sunlight, the plant may end up with a weird shape. The good news is that you can prevent the bending by rotating your plant.

How to rotate houseplants
Phototropism is the process that causes plants to lean towards the source of light. The auxins are cells in the plant which determines the growth rate as well as the shape of the plant. Auxins that are located on the side of the houseplant that receives the most sun grow stronger and much sturdier while those on the shadier side grow longer and spindlier. This means that one side of the dracaena will grow taller than the other. This is what causes the bending effect.

Turning your plants regularly is the key to avoiding the bending. This will further enable your plant to look its best. But how often should you turn your plant?

The frequency of turning your plant will depend on the source of light. Depending on the source, wholesale nurseries may recommend that you turn the plant every 3 days or every 2 weeks. You are the person who understands the lighting of your room. To avoid forgetting, the rule you should consider is that of turning your plant a quarter each time you water it. This will enable the plant to grow healthily and evenly.

Install florescent lights
If you feel turning your plant every now and then will be impractical, most growers recommend that you install florescent lights. These lights should be set up on the shady side of the plant. By doing this, you will enable the auxins on the darker side to grow sturdily and your plants will tend to grow straight. Alternatively, you can install a growing light directly above the plant. This will cause it to grow straight. In this case, you will not even require natural sunlight.

Nobody wants their dracaena to struggle for sunlight. The above recommendations will surely help you ensure that your plant grows evenly and healthily. Stick to your routine. If you must use grow lights, make sure you buy the best models.

Plantscaper suppliers

Dracaena – What is Guttation and what causes it on Dracaena?

Dracaena and other houseplants require more care than most people know. Simply watering the plant and making sure it gets sufficient sunlight and humidity is not enough. You need to do more. One condition you need to watch out for is guttation. At the first sight of this, most plant owners assume the worst. One thing you need to understand about this condition is that it is natural and it’s not harmful. Guttation is simply the appearance of little droplets of liquid on plant leaves.

Plants gather nutrients and moisture through the roots. To be able to move the nutrients and water up, the leaves have holes known as stomata. The evaporation of liquid through the stomata creates a vacuum which in turn helps the plant to pull up the nutrients and water through the leaves. This is known as transpiration. Plantscaper suppliers will be willing to give you more information about this process upon request. Transpiration normally stops at night because the stomata are closed.

Plants don’t need a lot of moisture at night. When the temperatures are cool or when the air is humid, less moisture evaporates. The plant continues to draw up more moisture through the root by building up pressure to force nutrients up. The pressure pushes the moisture out of the leaves. This is what leads to the formation of beads of water.

Difference between guttation and dew drops
More often than not, people mistake guttation for dew drops. The difference is dew forms on plant’s surface from condensation of the moisture in the air whereas guttation forms from moisture that is emitted from the plant itself. Understanding this difference will keep you at ease when you notice the water beads on your plant more so in the morning. You can also ask wholesale nurseries for plants that don’t experience a lot of guttation.

Misconception
One thing even your interiorscaper suppliers will be willing to tell you is that guttation is not a result of overwatering. Although overwatering could contribute the problem, guttation is not always a sign of overwatering. It is simply a sign of a healthy plant. Don’t reduce watering unless you are sure the problem is being caused by overwatering.

Guttation is only harmful to plants if you over-fertilize. This is because minerals from the fertilizer can build up on the leaf tips and cause them to burn. If you see white deposits on the leaf tips, you should consider cutting down on fertilizing.

Guttation is a condition that is not known by most people. Liaising with growers will help you better understand the condition and how to ensure it never damages your plants. All things considered, guttation is not a condition that should cause you to lose sleep if you have been taking good care of your dracaena.

Dracaena

Wholesale Nurseries – Salt Leaching Methods to Use on Potted Plants

Wholesale nurseries supply all manner of potted plants. You can find virtually anything that you want to decorate your house or office with. However, without proper care, your houseplants may end up ruining your desired look. In addition to watering your plants properly and ensuring they receive sufficient sunlight, you need to ensure that you keep an eye on the unabsorbed minerals.

Unlike the outdoor plants, potted plants have only so much soil to use. This means they need to be fertilized every now and then. The problem with this is that fertilizing the plants leads to the accumulation of unabsorbed minerals. This accumulates in the soil and a massive buildup will cause harm to your draceana or any other plant. The good news, however, is that there are a few things you can do to deal with the buildup. This is known as leaching.

Why is leaching important?
Most plantscaper suppliers will not educate you on leaching. This does not mean it is not important to the overall health of your houseplants. The purpose of leaching is to eliminate salts. These are dissolved in the water and are usually left behind once the water evaporates. You may see them as white buildups on the surface of the soil or around the drainage holes. Spotting this shows there are excessive salts in the soil.

When there is significant salts buildup, dracaena and other potted plants find it hard to draw up water. This may cause browning or wilting or even the loss of leaves or slowed growth. Too many salts will draw moisture from the roots. Failing to leach the houseplant on time may cause your plant to die.

How to leach salts from the soil
Leaching salt from the soil is pretty easy. To start with, if you see white buildups on the soil’s surface, remove it. Ensure you don’t go deeper than ¼ of an inch.

The next step is to take the plant outside or to place it in a bathtub or sink. The idea is to place it in a place where lots of water will drain freely without causing any problems. Once that is done, pour warm water over the soil. Make sure the water doesn’t overflow the rim of the plant’s pot. Pour twice as much water as the pot is built to hold. For example, if the pot holds half a gallon, pour a gallon of water.

The water will absorb the salts and drain out with them. Leaching is something all good growers will recommend you to do. You should leach the houseplant once every 4 to 6 months. This helps clear the soil. The alternative is to repot the plant every few 4 to 6 months.

These points will help maintain the good health of your houseplant. Needless to say, leaching is more cost and time effective than repotting. Ask interiorscaper suppliers for more advice on leaching.

Wholesale nurseries

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